Year Three of Federal Pay Freeze a Done Deal

Posted on March 27, 2013 by tanya brown

President Obama signed into law on Tuesday legislation that will extend the federal pay freeze for the third consecutive year. Federal employees as well as lawmakers will have their pay frozen through fiscal year 2013 as part of a continuing resolution to keep the government funded and avoid a shutdown. The legislation will keep the sequester in place, which could force many agencies to furlough employees; however, some provisions were given to the Department of Agriculture to avoid furloughing meat inspectors. Read more (Government Executive).

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FSA Helps Return Land to Montana Crow Tribe

Posted on March 27, 2013 by tanya brown

After nearly 70 years, a 1,933-acre ranch is back in the possession of the Montana Crow Tribe. The land was originally sold by the tribe decades ago. Since that time, ownership has changed with the last owner defaulting on a loan. FSA purchased the property at a U.S. Marshal sale and after several unsuccessful attempts to sell it, the agency put it up for public auction. A representative from Crow Tribe outbid several other people to pay $989,400 for the land. Read more (Billings Gazette).

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Arkansas Welcomes First African-American County Committee Member

Posted on March 27, 2013 by tanya brown

Pictured from l to r: Theodore Eldridge, FSA state committee chairman, Leonard McKissick, Linda Newkirk, state executive director and Janie Williams, county executive director.

Leonard McKissick has been appointed as the first African-American voting member of   FSA’s St. Francis County Committee in Arkansas. The appointment is part of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack’s continued effort to ensure an equitable voice among all segments of rural America. USDA’s goal is to put fair voting representation on committees in counties with large minority farmer and rancher populations that lack fair representation. County committee members provide a link between the agricultural community and USDA by helping to deliver FSA programs at the local level.

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More Young People Hear Calling to Rural America

Posted on March 27, 2013 by tanya brown

More young people are leaving the city and moving to rural America to become farmers, and more agencies are making it easier for them to do it. As the age of farmers creeps up, more organizations, such as farm bureaus and federal agencies like the Farm Service Agency are aiming to drop the average age of farmers by offering programs and assistance. The difference between these new farmers and their great grandparents is that they are trying new things because they are thinking out of the box and don’t fear setbacks. Read more (Billings Gazette).

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StrikeForce Provides Farmers an Opportunities for Growth

Posted on March 27, 2013 by tanya brown

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Smithsonian Wants Public Participation to Develop Ag Archive

Posted on March 26, 2013 by tanya brown

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History is asking the public to help preserve the history of farming and ranching across the United States. Through user-submitted stories, photos, videos audio files, the Agriculture Innovation and Heritage Archive is hoping to build a comprehensive digital archive of modern agriculture. The archive will be used by the Smithsonian staff to prepare new exhibitions and several entries will be features on the exhibition blog. Learn more or make a submission.

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Deadline Extended for Hispanic and Women Farmer Claims

Posted on March 25, 2013 by tanya brown

The deadline has been extended for Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers to file a claim if they feel they were discriminated against by USDA in past decades .The claims process is a voluntary alternative to litigation for each Hispanic or female farmer or rancher who can prove that USDA denied an application for loan or loan servicing assistance for discriminatory reasons for certain time periods between 1981 and 2000. Claimants may contact a call center representative at 1-888-508-4429 for a package or download the forms online. All claims must be submitted by May 1, 2013. Learn more or download the online forms.

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Today is Last Day for Hispanic, Women Producers to File a Claim

Posted on March 25, 2013 by tanya brown

Today is the last day for Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers who allege discrimination by USDA in past decades to file a claim in order to receive a cash payment or loan forgiveness. The claims process is a voluntary alternative to litigation for each Hispanic or female farmer or rancher who can prove that USDA denied an application for loan or loan servicing assistance for discriminatory reasons for certain time periods between 1981 and 2000. Claimants may contact a call center representative at 1-888-508-4429 for a package or download the forms online. March 25, is the last day to submit a claim. Learn more or download the online forms.

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Congress Extends Pay Freeze, Averts Government Shutdown

Posted on March 21, 2013 by tanya brown

Federal employees will face a pay freeze for the third consecutive year as Congress approved a measure on Thursday to avert a government shutdown. The $984 billion legislation will fund the government through fiscal year 2013, but will keep the sequester in place, causing some federal agencies to implement employee furloughs. Some amendments to the bill will ease the pain of the sequester in several agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to avoid furloughing meat inspectors. The bill is now headed to President Obama’s desk. Read more (Government Executive).

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FSA Loans Lend a Hand to California Farmer

Posted on March 21, 2013 by tanya brown

Sam Pesina has grown his peach and sugar cane farm with the help of FSA loans.

By Paul Lehman, FSA Regional Public Affairs Specialist

Family adversity brought Sam Pesina back home to his family’s Fresno County, Calif., farm.  But it was the love of farming that kept him.

“When my dad got bone marrow cancer, there was never any question that I would return home,” said Pesina. “My dad wouldn’t have trusted anyone else [to run the farm].” So he packed his bags, glanced back at the 12 years he spent in Hawaii working in finance and starting his own mortgage brokerage company, and headed back to Orange Cove to care for his father and the farm he grew up on. Continue reading →

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